


The Swan Witch

by Michael_T_Winges



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Once Upon a Time (TV), Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairytale Elements, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bella possesses Jess, Dean is older, Demon!Bellatrix, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Evil!Dumbledore (Kind of), F/M, Implied Grindledore, M/M, Ron is bi, Ron is super supportive, Sam and Hermione are the same age, Slow Burn, Slow burn on Hermione’s end, Swan Lake with a twist, True Love, You'll see what I mean, smut later, switching POV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-06-28 07:27:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19807546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michael_T_Winges/pseuds/Michael_T_Winges
Summary: The summer before going to Hogwarts, Hermione goes to America to spend time with her Uncle Bobby. There, she meets Sam and Dean Winchester. And while Sam and her hit it off, Dean and Hermione constantly fight.Every summer, her parents send her to Uncle Bobby’s. Every summer, her and Dean fight.But the trips stop after the events of Hermione’s sixth year.Two years after the war, Hermione returns to Uncle Bobby’s and is reunited with Sam and Dean. What happens when sparks fly?





	1. Prologue

Hermione Granger was eleven years old when her parents first dropped her off at Uncle Bobby’s. With tears in her eyes, she waved goodbye to them through the viewport of the plane before they became dots. Now she was back on solid ground and staring up at a strange version of her once-beloved uncle. He’d married her Aunt Karen a few years before she died.

Hermione remembered the wedding and being the flower girl. She remembered running down the aisle before stopping at Uncle Bobby’s feet, smiling up at him. He’d laughed and given her a big hug. Then there was dancing - _lots_ of dancing.

But then Aunt Karen had been brutally murdered and Uncle Bobby kind of went off the grid.

Hermione stared up at her scraggly uncle, who smiled tightly at her.

”Hey, there, Mimi,” he said softly. She smiled carefully up at him before hugging him. He was the only one allowed to call her that.

”Hi, Uncle Bobby,” she murmured back. The two sat hugging for what felt like ages but in reality was only about two minutes. When the two separated, it was only so Bobby could wrap an arm around her shoulders and guide her toward the Baggage Claim.

”Let’s go to the junkyard. You can tell me about this magic school.” Hermione’s gaze snapped up to his. “Your parents gave me a heads up. You’ve had a couple of accidents around me, remember?” Blushing, she nodded.

”I’m still sorry about that vase,” she whispered. Uncle Bobby just laughed as he picked up her suitcase.

”You fixed it immediately afterwards, so we’re good,” he said. The two chatted the entire walk for the car and the drive home. Hermione told him about her excitement toward going to Hogwarts and promised to write to him as often as possible. He told her about some of the cars he fixed. She told him about her favorite books. He told her about his newest editions.

As they pulled into his driveway, they both noticed a 1967 black Chevy Impala sitting right by his house.

”Ah, hell,” Uncle Bobby grumbled. Hermione stared at her normally calm uncle. “Go inside, Mimi. I don’t want you to see this. It could turn ugly.” She nodded, hopped out of the car, and rushed inside. As she passed, she saw the stunned faces of a man and two boys. She’d barely closed the door before the shouting began.

”What the fuck, Bobby? You have a daughter?” The man shouted.

”Niece. And I’d thank you for warning me before you stop by next time, John.”

”Does she know? About you? About your life?” John hissed.

”No. I don’t want her to, either,” Uncle Bobby growled. “She’s innocent to all of this. You don’t get to judge me or come in here talking shop. Now state your business or leave me alone.”

”I need you to watch the boys for a few weeks,” John said. Hermione watched as Uncle Bobby turned to the house, catching sight of Hermione. She smiled tentatively at him. He smiled back.

”Fine,” he finally said. “But you owe me.” He turned back to the two boys. “Get in there.” The two boys smiled, grabbed some duffels from the back of the car, and rushed up the front stairs. Hermione stepped back from the window, smiling at the boys. The two stopped in front of her.

”Hello,” she smiled brightly. “I’m Hermione Granger.” She stuck her hand out. The older of the two boys snorted.

_“‘Hermione?’”_ He asked. “What kind of name is that?” Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but the other boy beat her to it.

”Hermione is the name of Helen of Troy’s daughter,” he huffed, reaching out for her hand. “I’m Sam, this is Dean.” Dean glared between the two. They dropped their hands.

”It’s lovely to meet you both,” she said.

Uncle Bobby stepped through the front door, closing it behind him.

”Idjit,” he muttered. Hermione giggled at him, causing him to smile.

”What are we going to do, Uncle Bobby?” She asked. Dean glared at her.

”He’s our Uncle Bobby, not yours,” he said. Hermione glared at him.

”Actually, he _is_ my uncle. He married my Aunt Karen when I was five.” Dean turned to Uncle Bobby.

”What? You were married? Why?” Uncle Bobby looked down.

”He was in love,” Hermione said. “It was quite romantic.” Dean gagged.

”I’m not here for that girlie shit,” he said. Her glare intensified but he ignored her. “Can we go fix cars?”

”Sure,” Bobby said. “You go on ahead. I need to get Mimi settled in.” Dean outright laughed at the nickname.

”Mimi! Oh my God, I’m calling you that from -“

”Absolutely not,” she shouted. Sam smirked as Dean glared at her. “Uncle Bobby is the only one who can call me that. You can call me Hermione.”

”Nah,” Dean said. “I’m calling you Brit.” Hermione’s glare turned lethal. It was going to be a long few weeks.

* * *

Hermione was fourteen when she broke Dean Winchester's nose.

While Sam was practically a brother to her, Dean always started things. It started that first summer. He'd called her "Brit" for the full month he was there. The next summer, he called her "Beaver" and sang the _Leave It to Beaver_ theme whenever she entered the room. Just last summer, he called her "Booky" because she never left the library. This summer, he started calling her "Skippy" only because he caught her skipping down the road with a handful of new books Bill Weasley had sent over.

Hermione sat down to read them while Sam and Dean exercised. Sam knew she was a natural born witch, but Uncle Bobby had warned her not to tell Dean or Mr. Winchester. She refused to call him John. That was so impertinent.

She quickly hid her books when she heard feet running up the stairs. She pulled out a romance novel instead. She did not enjoy them as much as fantasy or adventure, but it made Dean go away whenever she read them, and any excuse to be away from Dean was a good excuse.

Sam trampled by with Dean following him closely. Sam was taller than Dean now, though barely. The eighteen-year-old glared at both fourteen-year-olds.

"Why do you always have to read?" He asked.

"I have a photographic memory, which means that I can recall any book I've read. That means that I can adapt in any situation I'm in," she stated.

"First off, Skippy, you're not going into any fight soon," Dean patronized. "Second, you can't learn everything from books. Third, you'll become an old maid before you know it. Why don't you go to some tea parties or whatever it is you British girls do." Sam smacked him on the back of the head while Hermione shut her book. She set it gently on the table, walked over to Dean, and punched him square in the jaw hard enough to break his nose.

"Motherfu-" He never got to finish that sentence. Hermione grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him into the wall behind him.

"You listen to me, Dean Winchester," she snarled. "I've had it with your plucky attitude. You will stop harassing me, or I swear you will rue the day you were born." With that, she nodded at a gobsmacked Sam and slammed the library door in their faces.

Uncle Bobby had bought her a whole chocolate cake and Sam got her a bouquet of flowers. Dean avoided her for the rest of the summer.

* * *

Hermione was sixteen when Dean finally started acting differently around her. He'd stopped calling her "Skippy" and just started calling her "Mi". She still hated nicknames, but she couldn't stop him even if she wanted to.

It wasn't just the nicknames, though. He started opening doors for her. At the local pool, they had chicken fights, and he would be the one to hoist her in the air. He would stand closer to her in the bars they snuck into. He started cleaning the dishes after she would cook for them. He actually engaged in intellectual conversation whenever he wasn't training.

Hermione was suspicious. One evening, she cornered him, demanding answers. He gave her a weird look before shrugging.

"You seemed down," he said. "And you don't take off your shirt when you go to the pool anymore, so I assume something happened when you were at that boarding school. I'm just trying to help you feel better."

"But you've never cared before," she said. "Why now?"

The strange look returned.

"Maybe I want to change that," he said softly before leaving a stunned Hermione.

* * *

Hermione was seventeen when she stopped showing up to Uncle Bobby's.


	2. Some Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck  
> Some nights I call it a draw  
> Some nights I wish that my lips would build a castle  
> Some nights I wish they'd just fall off
> 
> \- "Some Nights," Fun.

Dean Winchester was twenty four when he got the urge to go see Bobby.

It had been four years since he saw _her._

Since he fell in love with her.

Since she stopped showing up.

Bobby had been devastated to learn that she wasn't coming back that summer. Dean had used his cell to try to call her, but she'd had her phone disconnected. He knew there was something wrong with her. Something major. Something Sammy knew but Sammy wasn't picking up his fucking phone. Not for Dad.

Not for Dean.

Bobby talked to him on occasion. Sammy never had ill feelings toward Bobby. They mostly talked about her, but they never actually mentioned her by name. It made Dean want to hurt something.

But he knew that even if he wanted to, he couldn't stay mad at her.

Not Hermione.

Dean pulled the Impala into the lot in front of Bobby's house. Slowly, he exited his car, got out his duffel, and made his way up the steps.

Bobby opened the door before he even made it up the steps. Sighing, he nodded and let Dean in, shutting the door quietly behind them. Dean set his bag down on the ground, grabbing a seat at the kitchen table.

"Still nothing?" Dean asked. Neither needed to ask what, or whom, he was talking about.

"Zilch. Nada," he said softly. "Her parents are still missing, too." Dean put his head in his hands. The clinking of glass next to him made him glance up. Bobby opened the beer bottle next to him. "You love her, don't you?" He asked softly. Dean put his bottle to his lips, drinking a hefty amount of beer before answering.

"Yes," he finally admitted out loud. Bobby asked him whenever he called. He was so scared of his emotions that he just couldn't admit it. Now that it was out in the open, he felt... lighter. Like the weight of the world wasn't crushing in on him. He laughed softly. "You know, it's funny. I think I loved her before I even knew what love was. I just compare everyone to her. I -" Dean was cut off by the shrill ringing of Bobby's phone. Both men froze.

They knew that ringtone.

Bobby reacted first. He quickly picked up the phone. Dean stood, too stunned to do anything else.

"Mimi?" Dean watched carefully as his face screwed up in confusion. "What do you mean she's sick? What -?" Dean started pacing, his hand running over his face in frustration. "Um... that might not be a good idea at the moment. I've got... company... What do you mean 'too late?' Potter, you better... Alright... I'll try to explain things to him... See you in an hour... Bye." Bobby hung up the phone. "Balls."

Dean stopped pacing.

"What just happened?" Bobby gestured to the chair Dean had evacuated, but Dean was stubborn and refused to sit. Bobby sighed heavily.

"Sit, ya idjit. This is a long story."

"No, Bobby. You tell me what that was and you tell me now."

"Hermione's on her way." The look on Bobby's face told Dean that there was more to the story, but he waited for Bobby to continue. "I knew some of what she was doing for the last three years. I've been in contact with her brother -"

"She has a brother?" Dean had no idea.

"Technically, no. But she did... something... and now they're adopted brother and sister. He wanted to protect her from... Ah, hell, this would be so much easier if she was here."

"How is she sick? You said she was sick," Dean said.

"She's kind of sick," Bobby said. These vague answers were pissing Dean off.

"What the fuck does that even mean?"

"It means that Hermione needs to tell you everything herself. Now, call your brother, and tell him to get his ass up here. He'd want to see her." Dean groaned. Calling Sammy was something he rarely did anymore. Still, he picked up his cell and pressed two on speed dial. Hermione was always number one.

"We're not done with this conversation," Dean said. Surprisingly, Sammy picked up.

"Dean, you gotta stop -"

"Hermione's on her way." Dean heard a crash and a girlish squeal. "Sammy?"

"Dean," he said softly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said. "I'm at Bobby's -"

"I'll be there in ten hours." The line ended. Dean stared at his phone for a few seconds before looking back at Bobby. The usually rough, no sappy business man had tears in his eyes. Hermione was practically the man's daughter, for Christ's sake. He really felt for Bobby in that moment. His little girl was sick and he couldn't do anything. Dean cleared his throat, causing Bobby to look up at him.

"Sammy's on his way," he said softly. "What do we do in the meantime?" Bobby gestured towards the stairs. The two men walked into the library in silence. Bobby started pulling books down from the shelves. Dean looked at the titles in confusion.

_"Dark Arts and Their Uses? Curses Through the Ages? Banned Magic?"_ Dean looked back at the man still frantically pulling books from the shelves. "What the hell is this nonsense? Was she cursed by a witch?" Bobby stopped and turned to Dean.

"Yes," he said softly. "But not the kind you're thinking of."

"Are you telling me there are multiple types of witches?"

"Yes," Bobby said. Dean stood in silence, stunned. "Four, in fact. Each one has a classification, and each one is ranked by its level of power and rareness. Level Four is the one you're used to. These witches and wizards make deals with demons to gain their powers. Level Three are half-demon, half-human. They're powerful but can't control their tempers, so their magic is explosive. Level Two are angels and demons themselves. They have powers no one can believe in. But Level One? They're natural born witches and wizards. They have no masters. The other ones must listen to demons or God himself. Level One? They can do whatever they want."

"So, we have to kill all of them, right?" Dean said. "I'll gank the one that hurt Hermione."

"No, Dean," Bobby growled. "Let me finish. These witches and wizards are, for the most part, good. They are the most magical and most rare. They tend to help Hunters as much as possible. They know more about the Supernatural than anyone. So you can't kill them. Let a Level One handle it." Dean stared at Bobby, hard.

"You know a level one," he said. Bobby snorted.

"I know several," he said. "Believe me, they're all mostly good. They are human, though, so they have a few nut jobs thrown in. Those are the people who hurt Hermione." Dean nodded, still stunned. His world view on witches and wizards was flipped upside down. He sat down, opened a book and started reading. Minutes passed in silence before a loud crash sound came from downstairs.

"What -"

"Bobby!" A male voice shouted from downstairs.

"Balls," Bobby said under his breath. He ran downstairs, Dean on his heels. Two men stood holding up a tiny woman. One was a redhead with bright blue eyes, the other had raven hair, green eyes, and round glasses. The dark-haired man was taller than the redhead, so the woman was lopsided. Dean approached the woman slowly. She had long, curly hair, a full set of curves, and sallow skin. She was panting, but there was no sound. She suddenly threw her head back and started thrashing.

"Mi?" Dean asked softly. Hermione's face turned to him, and he gasped. One eye was completely black while the other was her normal honey-colored eye. He turned to Bobby. "Holy water. Now!" Bobby sprang into action. Dean led the two men over toward the couch. They put Hermione down on the couch but she kept thrashing. Bobby came back with several bottles of water. Dean knelt beside her, propping her up slightly. He placed his hand on the back of her head. "Mi, I need you to drink this, okay? It's going to hurt, but you'll rest afterward and feel better." Hermione just kept thrashing about in silence. "Why is she quiet? What's wrong with her voice?"

"That was me," Redhead said. "She started crying in agony after the black smoke went into her system. I had to silence her."

"Can you unsilence her?" Suddenly, Hermione's screams filled the living room.

"Please! We don't have it! I'm sorry! Harry, please! Someone help!" The sight before him was terrifying. Dean soothed her hair, shushing her.

"Mi," he said softly. She turned to him and instantly calmed.

"Dean?" She asked in confusion.

"Hi, Mi," he murmured. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "You need to drink this. It will help."

"Dean," she whimpered, cuddling into him. "Hurts..."

"Shh," he said, petting her hair. "I know. But I'm gonna fix it. You just need to drink this, okay?" Hermione nodded. Dean uncapped the water bottle and tipped it into her mouth. She grabbed his arm and squeezed, whimpering louder. Dean started the Exorcism Chant. Hermione thrashed a bit before she opened her mouth and the black smoke came out of her mouth. She gasped as soon as it was out of her system. Her gaze turned glassy and she looked around the room. She smiled at Dean and it took his breath away.

”Hey,” she croaked. He chuckled softly.

”Hey, yourself,” he said. She closed her eyes, but the smile never left her face. In moments she was asleep. Without extracting himself from her, he turned slightly.

”How in hell did a demon possess her?” Bobby snarled.

”She was having lunch with a friend - Luna Lovegood. Luna stepped away for a moment and when she came back, the LeStranges has her out the door. Luna rushed to get us but by the time we found the alley, she’d been tortured for about thirty minutes. When we tried to stop them, this black smoke came out of a vial and entered her system. She started screaming about Bellatrix and how she didn’t have a sword. She’s been that way for two hours.” Dean looked up at the dark-haired man as Bobby got in his face.

"Now, you listen up, ya idjit. I don't care that you're Harry Potter, fuckin' savior of the world. You swore to protect her! What the hell were ya thinkin'?"

"Bobby, the war's over," Harry said softly. Bobby froze, then glared at him.

"What?"

"The war's been over for two years," Harry said. "Hermione found out that I'd been contacting you and she became furious. She told me to either stop contacting you or lose her forever. She told me she didn't want you to worry about her. So I chose my sister over some prat I barely know." Bobby grumbled at him, but conceded his point.

"She gave you an ultimatum?" Dean said. Everyone turned to him. Harry shrugged.

"Not exactly. Her exact words were, 'If Uncle Bobby finds out about Malfoy Manor, he'll hunt me down and drag me away from the fight.'" Redhead shook his head frantically. Harry realized what he'd said. "Bugger." Dean stood and marched over to Harry, pinning him against the wall.

"What happened at this fucking Manor?" Dean hissed. Harry did not get the chance to answer. Hermione started whimpering again. Dean hurried to her side, grabbing her hand. This calmed her down. He sighed, scooping her up. "I'll be back. I'm gonna move her upstairs. We'll talk afterwards." He maneuvered her carefully up the stairs to his old room. He carefully laid her on the bed, changed her into an old flannel shirt of his, and made sure she was settled. She sighed as he tucked her in. He brushed her hair from her face and she sighed.

"Dean..." She whispered. Dean's breath caught in his throat. She burrowed down into his bed, clearly content. Seeing her in his bed, in his shirt, stirred things in him. He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. This was going to be difficult. He turned to leave, not noticing the black smoke slowly filtering into the room. He went down the stairs to find Harry, Redhead, and Bobby at a standoff.

"So, who's gonna tell me what the fuck is going on?" Redhead sighed, sitting down on the couch.

"We're wizards," he said. Dean moved to get his gun, but Bobby stopped him.

"Level One," he said. Dean nodded then paused.

"Is Hermione...?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Hermione has been our best friend since we were eleven. Ron even dated her for a couple of months." Ron smirked, shaking his head. "Since Hermione joined us at Hogwarts, we've been fighting a monster. Hermione is the brains of the operation. She does all the research and knows everything. She carries around a library with her. She was with us when we were destroying his torn up soul - literally. One day... I made a mistake, and we got captured. They were planning on turning us over, but one of the Death Eaters, Bellatrix, saw the sword we were carrying and flipped out." Harry looked down at the ground. Dean ground his teeth.

"Just say it," he said.

"She tortured Hermione for hours on end," Harry said, choking up. "She even carved into her arm. She went ballistic on her. And now her husband and brother-in-law found her, torturing her in the same way." He took a steadying breath. "We think that the demon that possessed Hermione is Bellatrix. We think she's out for Hermione."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> Two chapters in a row? What is this? (It's I have a few hours before work)
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> -MTW


	3. Kiss With a Fist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You hit me once  
> I hit you back  
> You gave a kick  
> I gave a slap  
> You smashed a plate over my head  
> Then I set fire to our bed
> 
> \- “Kiss With a Fist,” Florence + the Machine

The hand holding her hand was warm and rough. She couldn’t open her eyes, but she knew that someone held her hand. And there were ... _voices?_ Yes, those were voices.

Hermione wriggled her fingers slightly as she inhaled deeply. She slowly opened her eyes. The three people in the room did not notice her. Dean held her hand gently, though the rest of his posture was stiff. He glared at Sam, who had his arms crossed over his chest. Harry stood just behind Sam.

”Maybe if you’d been here sooner, you’d have a better grip on what was going on, Sammy!” Dean hissed. Harry had his glasses in his left hand as a rubbed his eyes tiredly. Sam glared at his older brother.

”I’m sorry I’ve been busy at school,” Sam said. “I’m sorry for trying to live my life! What would you have me do?” Harry huffed, shoved his glasses on his face, and dropped his hands.

”Maybe if you two stop fighting and figure out what we can do about -“

”Harry?” Hermione’s croak broke through the tension. All three turned to her as Harry rushed to her side. Dean’s grip on her hand strengthened.

”Merlin, ‘Mione!” He said as he hugged her. She flinched at the strength he put into the hug, but hugged him back. “Don’t scare me like that again!” A tear slipped down her cheek.

”I’m so sorry, Harry,” she said softly. “I didn’t exactly expect to be ambushed, though. You can’t fault me for that.” Harry gave a watery chuckle as he pulled back. She turned toward the Winchesters.

”Now... can someone explain how I got to Uncle Bobby’s?” Dean sat in a chair next to the bed. She looked down at herself. “And how I got changed? And can someone possibly get me water?” Harry summoned a glass and some water, handing it to her.

"After you were attacked, a demon attempted to possess you," Harry explained. "We remembered you talking about your Hunter friends, so Ron and I brought you over here. Dean was the one that recognized you were possessed, but your magic was fighting the demon inside. Apparently, natural-born witches and wizards have a built-in defense from any form of possession. Well, except, you know..." Harry trailed off. Sam and Dean looked at him in confusion. He sighed. "That war? The guy put a piece of his soul inside my head and twice possessed me. I mean, he did it by accident, but it still happened." He ran his hands through his hair. Hermione rolled her eyes at his nervous tick.

"I changed your clothes," Dean said softly. Hermione glared at him. He slowly let go of her hand, taking a deep breath in. For some reason, she felt a loss at the lack of contact. "Your clothes were tattered. You had blood on you. I had to change you. Nothing else happened."

"Except you thought it was alright to hold my hand while I slept?" She sat up slowly, groaning as she did so. The three men moved to help her but she waved them off.

"'Mione..." Harry spoke softly. "The only person who could calm you down in any way was Dean. I mean, you should've seen the state you were in! Merlin, it was like Malfoy Manor, but worse! But as soon as you saw Dean, you relaxed. You stopped thrashing. And he was so gentle with you."

_Dean... Hurts..._

_Shh... I know... But I'm gonna fix it..._

Hermione turned toward Dean.

"It's you I kept hearing," she whispered. Her anger at him vanished but she remained wary. Dean sat down in the chair again, placing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Did... Did you tell me that you were going to fix things?" He nodded his head, not looking at her. She stared down at her hands. "Thank you," she murmured after a few moments of silence. Dean looked up at that.

"You're family," he said softly. "I couldn't watch you suffer." Hermione felt conflicted over those words. She felt slightly uncomfortable at being called family, but she couldn't place it. She pushed her emotions to the side. She needed logic right now.

"So, what do we do now?" Sam snorted.

" _We,_ " he said, pointing to Harry, Dean, and himself, "are going to track down the demon. _You_ are going to rest." She glared up at him. He had grown more since she'd last seen him.

"I will not lay here like a bloody invalid!" She yelled as she tried to stand. Her legs gave out on her immediately and she collapsed on the ground. Dean shot out of his chair, wrapping his arms around her and lifting gently. "Stop! I can take care of myself!"

"Shut the fuck up, 'Mione!" They all turned to see Ron and Luna standing outside the door. Ron, red-faced, stormed into the room. "You can't stand. You shouldn't even be out of bed yet! Let them take care of you!" She opened her mouth to argue. "Oh, for Merlin's sake! You can't be independent all the time! Let someone take care of you! Circe knows you won't let Harry or me help." With that, he turned to go. Luna sighed, stepping into the room.

"Forgive Ron, Hermione," she said. Her glassy eyes twinkled in the sunlight. "He seems to be very temperamental. It explains the Wrackspurts swarming around his head." She turned her attention toward Dean. "Dean Winchester will take wonderful care of you. Let him." She turned around and nearly bumped into Sam. "Oh! Pardon me, Sam Winchester!" She stopped and stared up at him as he stared down at her in confusion. "You shouldn't be confused. You should know a prophet when you see one... Or am I too early? Oh, I believe I am. It seems neither of you know Castiel yet. But you will soon." She looked back at Hermione as Dean lowered her on the bed. "Yes. Very soon." With that, she skipped out of the room. Hermione sighed, rubbing her hands over her eyes.

"Um... What just happened?" Sam asked. Harry snorted.

" _That_ is Luna Lovegood," he said. "She's part of the Cassandra bloodline of Seers, but since that line is cursed, no one really believes her."

'She's also one of my very best friends," Hermione said pointedly. "Yours, too, Harry. If I catch either of you making fun of her, so help me God, I'll -"

"Mi, you've already punched me. What else can you do to us?" Dean said, crossing his arms. She glared up at him before she waved her hand. He jumped, rubbing his left butt cheek.

"I can do wandless and wordless magic, so I'd be _very_ careful with what you say around me," she said.

"Hermione, I'm not going to make fun of your friend," Sam said. "I was just very confused. Who's this Cassandra?"

"What is Mr. Winchester teaching you boys?" Sam and Dean both stiffened. "What? What happened?" Sam cleared his throat.

"I'm not really a Hunter anymore. I'm at Stanford now. Dear ol' Dad gave me an ultimatum, told me not to call if I ever needed help, and I left without talking to Dean or him since. I finally got tired of Dean's calling, so I picked up to tell him off, but then I got the news about you and came here. Now. Who. Is. Cassandra?" Hermione swallowed and nodded.

"Cassandra was an Ancient Greek prophet who was gifted powers from Apollo, but she turned her back on him. He cursed her to accurately tell the future but have no one believe her. Her children all possessed the trait, but only two survived. Apollo took pity on one of them, since she worshipped Apollo religiously. He took away the countercurse. I believe that Luna comes from that line, but Harry disagrees. We know another Seer - er, prophet, I guess - that is from her brother's line. But Luna's depictions are more believable than Trelawney's, so that's where my theory comes in." Sam and Dean just stared at her. The sound of footsteps on the stairs made everyone move. A tall, blonde girl appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Sam, your uncle is super cool -" she stopped at the sight of Hermione. "Oh! You must be Hermione! I've heard such wonderful things about you! I'm Jessica!" Jessica entered the room and stuck her hand out. Hermione took it and gave her a tight smile.

"It's lovely to meet you, Jessica," she said. "I take it that Sam finally decided to settle down?" Before Jessica could answer, all the lights in the room turned off. Hermione felt the bed shift as Dean leaned over her. Hermione felt around for her wand. Jessica screamed causing everyone to jump. Harry and Sam looked for the switch. Jessica's screams stopped as soon as the lights turned on. She looked frazzled as she stared at her arms.

"Something touched me..." she said softly. Sam came up behind her, hugging her closely.

"That was weird," Harry said. Hermione looked up to find Dean leaning over her, protecting her as best as he could. Hermione felt surprisingly charmed by the gesture, but pushed the emotion away again.

"Um, Dean?" He looked up at her. She noticed how close his face was and that he was panting. His warm breath caressed her face and sent shivers down her body. "C-could you possibly get off me, please?" He blushed - _since when does Dean bloody Winchester blush? -_ and got up. She exhaled a breath she had no idea she was holding. "Why doesn't everybody head downstairs? Jessica, you look like you could use a drink." The scared girl nodded and waited in the hallway for Sam. He and Harry followed her out the door.

"I'm not leaving you," Dean said softly as he returned to his perch. Hermione sighed.

"The lights were a fluke, Dean," she said. "Go downstairs."

"No." Hermione's stomach growled loudly.

"Not even to get me food?" Dean sighed, standing up.

"I really don't want to leave you alone," he said, hesitating.

"Dean," she said, pointing to the door. "Go. I need to rest and get my strength back. Why don't you get me some soup? It'll only take about ten minutes tops." Dean nodded at that.

"Okay," he said softly. He paused, seeming to debate with himself, before he shook his head and walked down the stairs.

Almost everyone was too busy to notice Jessica's new black eyes. Everyone except Luna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> Thank you to everyone who’s left kudos! That means so much! Please feel free to review and leave comments!
> 
> -MTW


	4. Take Me Home Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With all the power you're releasing  
> It isn't safe to walk the city streets alone  
> Anticipation's running through me  
> Let's find the key and turn this engine on
> 
> \- "Take Me Home Tonight," Eddie Money

Dean watched Hermione walk around with Luna at her side. Harry and Ron had to run back to London to finish up their report on Hermione's attack. Ron was also bringing Matt, his boyfriend, over. That threw Dean for a loop. Hermione had laughed and said, "Believe me, it was _quite_ the shock. But Matt is amazing. You'll love him." Sammy kept trying to check on Jessica but she kept brushing him off. Luna, Dean, and Bobby all noticed her odd behavior. The girl had been quite bubbly when they first met her but now she was snappish towards everyone - except Hermione.

Dean broke out of his reverie as Luna tugged on his blue flannel.

"Dean Winchester," she said softly. He looked over to see Jessica standing by Hermione. The blonde woman ran her hands over Hermione's arms in a consoling manner. "Dean Winchester, pay attention! I need to warn you about Jessica Moore."

"What about her?"

"She has black eyes." Dean whipped his head back toward Luna.

"What -?" Hermione's cry startled them. Jessica was gripping Hermione's left arm firmly, causing the latter pain. Hermione started to collapse. Everyone except Luna ran towards the two girls.

"Jessica, let her go!" Sammy shouted before he was thrown back.

"Hermione and I need to talk," Jessica growled. "Girl to girl." Hermione's eyes widened and she started screaming.

"No! It was a fake! Please! It wasn't real! Stop!" Hermione's screams continued as Dean reached them. He and Bobby were thrown against the same wall as Sammy, all three trapped.

"What are Muggles like you going to do to a superior being such as myself?" Jessica's head turned toward the Winchesters and Bobby. Her eyes were black with an almost purple glow. "This Mudblood should be dead! She lied to me! She broke into my vault and stole from me! She needs to learn her place!"

"Christo," Dean grunted out. Jessica flinched before she cackled.

"Nice try," she said. "But Lucifer brought me into his inner circle. You can't expel me that easily."

"Bellatrix, stop," Sammy groaned. The demon turned toward him.

"Your little plaything is gone, Hunter," she sneered. "I killed her as soon as the lights went out. You can't hurt me!"

"No," Luna said softly. Everyone looked at her as she walked calmly up to Bellatrix. Hermione's whimpers were the only sound until Luna was nose to nose with the demon. "But he can." The sound of wings was the only warning they received. A man in a tan trench coat appeared in the room. He put his hand on Bellatrix's forehead, causing her to scream in pain. She twisted out of his grasp quickly. She had an angry red handprint on her forehead.

"This isn't over," she said. She turned to Hermione, who was in Luna's arms. _"Pianadh gu slaodach."_ She pointed her hands at Hermione and a pale blue light shot towards her. As soon as the spell hit her, Bellatrix disappeared and the three men were released from the wall. Sammy collapsed on the ground. Dean rushed to Hermione's side as Bobby approached the man in the trench coat, sizing him up.

"Dean Winchester," Luna said. "You take care of her now. I need to care for your brother." Dean's brows went together in confusion, but he nodded at her. Luna walked over to Sammy. He brought Hermione into his arms and sat on the ground.

"Who the fuck are you?" Bobby finally asked the stranger.

"Hello, Castiel," Luna said. The stranger nodded.

"Hello Luna." The blonde woman smiled as she stroked Sam's hair. Dean felt Hermione tremble in his arms. He wrapped them tighter around her.

"What the hell is going on?" Everyone turned to Dean. "Someone explain to me right now what's happening."

"My name is Castiel," the stranger said. "I'm an Angel of the Lord. Luna is a Prophet, or in the magical community, a Seer -"

"Yeah, we know that," Dean snapped. Hermione looked up at him, her brow furrowed. "I meant why are you here?"

"I'm protecting a Champion's Wife," Castiel stated. It was like it was obvious.

"A what now?"

"A Champion's Wife," the Angel said. "Dean and Sam Winchester are Champions. Their wives were in danger."

"Whoa! Back up there, buddy," Dean said. "What's this about a Champion? And what do you mean wife? I've never been hitched. Neither has Sam." Castiel stared around the room, remaining silent. "Well? Start talking!" Before he could, Harry, Ron, and a short brunet man walked in through the fireplace. They pulled their wands on Castiel.

"Who is this?" Ron demanded.

"He was just explaining that," Bobby growsed. Castiel sighed.

"Put your weapons away," he said. No one moved. "Fine. I'm an Angel of the Lord. I've been tasked with protecting the Four Champions and their Wives. But it seems none of you remember any of this."

"What are these Champions?" Sam asked. Luna rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"The Champions are four of the greatest heroes the Enchanted Forest has ever seen," Castiel said. "They are four best friends who created a brotherhood in order to defeat the Evil. They each married their True Loves. An evil wizard, scorned by his lover, sent everyone here, separating everyone."

"What was the name of this evil wizard?" Harry asked.

"Albus Dumbledore."

Harry, Ron, and the brunet man dropped their wands.

"I knew there was something off about him," Hermione murmured. Dean looked down at her. She clung to him like a lifeline. He ran his hands up and down her back in a soothing manner.

"Dumbledore was a good man," Harry gritted out. Hermione snorted.

"He collected misfits to groom them for battle. He knew Sirius was innocent and never went after him because he couldn't control his actions. He practically groomed you from birth to be the perfect soldier, Harry. He convinced three teenagers to hunt down Horcruxes with the bare minimum information and resources. Tell me, Harry, does that sound like a good man to you?" Harry cocked his head to the side, thinking. Ron patted Harry's shoulder.

"'Mione's right," he said softly. "Dumbledore had several questionable habits. I mean, he put you with the Dursleys! And look what happened with Snape! Dumbledore only saw him useful after he heard the prophecy, mate." Harry closed his eyes, nodding.

"This guy sounds like a piece of work," Dean whispered in Hermione's ear. She nodded in agreement.

"I can see your point," Harry whispered before looking at Castiel. "Continue."

"The Four Champions of the Realm, as dubbed by the people of the Enchanted Forest, protected the land and the kingdoms," Castiel said. He turned to look at Hermione. "The Champion's Wives were all products of True Love themselves, so their magic was potent. Yours, in particular, Hermione, was the most -"

"Wait, wait, wait," she said, finally sitting properly next to Dean. He kept his right arm by her side in case she needed help. "Are you saying that all of us are from a different dimension?"

"Realm," Castiel corrected. "You were born in the Enchanted Forest. And you have no memories of that life. At least, nothing tangible. You probably experience dreams." Dean paled. He'd had dreams about Hermione wearing ball gowns and dancing with her in a palace. He'd assumed it was just his imagination, but if this was _real_ \- like the bat-shit crazy man was saying - then she'd loved him at some point. And he was famous.

"Who are the Four Champions?" Dean asked. Hermione looked at him like he was crazy. He waved off her concern, as if to say _'Play along._ _'_

"Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley," Castiel listed off. The four men stared at each other in confusion. "Respectively, your wives are Luna, Hermione, Ginny, and Matt."

"Um... How am I a wife?" Matt asked. Castiel looked at him.

"It's just a title bestowed upon the group. believe me, you were not happy when you heard the moniker." Hermione looked at Luna.

"Did you see this?" Luna shook her head in response.

"If what he says is true, then I can only see things in this realm," she said. Sam wrapped an arm around her. "I only saw brief snippets of this moment." Hermione nodded and smiled at her friend.

"It would be easier to go home," Castiel said. "You'll learn more there." 

"Where's _'home'_?" Bobby said.

"Storybrooke, Maine," Luna said softly. Everyone turned to her. "And before you ask, Hermione, Bellatrix will not be far behind. We need to get you out of here."

"What about Jess?" Sam asked softly. Luna patted his side gently before standing.

"I'm sorry, Sam Winchester," she said. "Bellatrix spoke the truth." Sam's eyes teared up again. Luna hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear. Dean looked at Hermione as she watched the small blonde hug Sam. Something about what Cas said made him want to believe him.

"So... what's up with this Storybrooke?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> I'm gonna be real with you - I'm procrastinating for my real job (not telling what I do until I get settled in more). I just got stuck in a spot and now I needed a break. So you could potentially getting two works in one night/day, but we'll see. Also, "Brunet" is the masculine version of "Brunette". English is fun, huh?
> 
> Thank you for reading my story! I promise to update the others soon!
> 
> -MTW


	5. Remember the Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know it ain't my time to call it a day  
> I wanna crack on and I wanna be paid  
> But it's 'bout time you remember the name
> 
> \- "Remember the Name (feat. Eminem and 50 Cent)," Ed Sheeran

Hermione stood up and left the room. She needed a break from this conversation. She heard footsteps on the staircase. She knew it was Dean. Turning around, she crossed her arms over her chest as he pulled up in front of her.

"What?" She hissed. He held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm just checking on you," he said. "You just went through a pretty traumatic event and had a shit-ton of bat-shit crazy unloaded on you. I mean, can you imagine? Us living in another world? Having other lives? Having our memories erased?" Hermione let out a breath, looking down.

"I really just want to lay down," she said softly. He nodded, gesturing for her to continuing up the stairs. The two walked to her room in silence, Dean's arm wrapped around her shoulders. His support was welcome. She was still wary of him, but she needed someone to help her. They walked into her room. Castiel stood in front of her bed. Hermione squeaked as Dean drew his gun.

"Look, man, I know you just saved her, but I'm not above ganking ya," he said. Castiel smirked.

"Dean Winchester, the First Protector," he said softly. Hermione put her hand on Dean's shoulder as she stepped around him.

"Castiel," she said softly. "While I - _we_ \- appreciate the effort you've put in today, I need to lay down. I'm not feeling too well." Castiel stepped forward, placing his hand on her forehead gently.

"Hey!" Dean shouted. Neither paid him any heed. Castiel released her a moment later and brushed his hand on her stomach. A white light burst from under his hand. Hermione gasped before dropping to the ground. Dean rushed to catch her. "What did you do to her?"

"He healed me," she said in awe. Dean looked at Hermione. "I had severe damage done to my internal organs due to a cursed scar, as well as Bellatrix's torture. I had severe internal scarring. And he healed it all." She lifted the hem of his old shirt, showing her untouched stomach. She knew Dean had seen the scar when he changed her. He looked up at Castiel.

"Thank you," he said softly. Castiel nodded.

"I've been put in charge of you two," he said softly. "I'm part of the Guardian Angels. We each have two souls we protect. I've been assigned to you two. Anna has Sam and Luna, Zachariah has Harry and Ginny, and Naomi has Ron and Matt. We are responsible for your safety. We've been trying to track you down for years." Hermione and Dean stared at each other.

"Is this because of that whole Forbidden Forest nonsense?" Hermione asked, turning back to Castiel.

" _Enchanted_ Forest," Castiel corrected. "It's not nonsense. You just don't have your memories."

"Why can't you just fix that? You fixed her cursed organs," Dean said. Castiel shook his head.

"I cannot fix it for two reasons," he said. "First, magic here is different than in the Enchanted Forest. Since she was cursed here, her injuries are easier to fix. Second, I can only fix physical injuries, so even if she was hurt in the Enchanted Forest, I cannot fix memories." Hermione moved to the bed, sitting on it.

"I really cannot deal with this right now," she whispered, tears swimming in her vision. A blurry Dean kneeled in front of her. She smiled weakly at him. "Bellatrix is back. That needs to be my priority."

"But you need to get home," Castiel said.

" _This_ is my home," Hermione spat. "I am in danger! I don't need to go home! I need to hide!" Dean grabbed her hand. She pulled away. "And what's this about me marrying Dean? Why would I do that? He's been mean to me my whole life!"

"Wait a minute," Dean said, glaring at her. "You thought I was being mean to you?" Hermione turned to him.

"Dean, you've been bullying me the entire time I've known you," she said. Dean stands, flexing his hands, and leaves the room.

"I need a drink," he growled. Hermione felt his absence. _Why am I so affected by him?_ she thought. Castiel sighed.

"You'll be safest in Storybrooke," Castiel said. She sighed.

"Why?" She said. "What's so important about Storybrooke?"

"Your family is there," he said. Hermione shook her head.

"My parents are in Australia," she said. Castiel sat next to her on the bed.

"Your family is in Storybrooke," he repeated. Hermione rolled her eyes but said nothing else. Castiel sighed, standing up. "Think about it. You do not have much time. You need to make a decision as soon as possible. Bellatrix is scheming and we have no idea when she'll return." Hermione blinked right as Castiel disappeared. She sighed, laying in bed. Castiel appeared moments later with a book in hand. Hermione squeaked. "Your brother gave me this book. He told me to give it to you."

"I don't have a brother," she said. He set the book on the bed next to Hermione.

"Get some rest," he said before disappearing again. She closed her eyes to try to relax. The next thing she knew, it was dark outside. She got out of bed, hearing a thunk. She looked down to see the book on the ground. She gently picked it up. A piece of paper fell out of the cover, which she immediately retrieved. It was a letter addressed to her.

_Dear Hermione,_

_You might not remember me. Mom and Dad came back a while ago with their memories. They said that your memory charm had backfired, making them remember everything. But we miss you. So much._

_If you don't remember me, read this book. Everything in this book actually happened. I need you to believe in them. You need to break the curse._

_I remember you loving my stories when you were little. You really loved Mom and Dad's story. I read it to you and Lucy every night when you were younger._

_I hope you find this informational. I know it seems like an ordinary story book, but it's real. I need you to read it and come to Storybrooke. You're the Savior now. Bring the Champions with you. They will help._

_I hope to see you soon, little sis._

_Love,_

_Henry_

Hermione re-read the note several times before she looked at the cover. _Once Upon a Time: Revised._

Was this a joke? How could fairy tale stories be real? Sighing, she tucked the book under her arm and walked down stairs.

She walked into the full kitchen. Bobby, Dean, Sam, and Harry were arguing. Ginny and Luna stood in the corner. Hermione realized that Ginny probably arrived while she slept. Ron and Matt were huddled in the corner. Only Ginny and Luna noticed her standing in the doorway.

"Why would we bother going to this fucking town in the middle-of-nowhere Maine?" Bobby said. Harry shrugged.

"I'm inclined to believe the Angel," he said. "Just saying." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"All of us over-rule you," Dean said. "You're the only one who wants to go."

"I want to go." Everyone turned to Hermione. Dean went to move toward her then remembered what she'd said. She sighed, moving into the room. "I don't believe the Angel for obvious reasons. I mean, come _on!_ We're all _fairy tale characters?_ Who in their right mind would believe that?" Harry looked down. "But I feel like there's something wrong with that town. I feel like maybe there's a Trickster or a Boggart there. We could hunt it down and make sure the town returns to normal." That seemed to peak the Hunters' interests. Bobby cleared his throat.

"How did you know about us being Hunters?" Hermione smiled at her uncle.

"When your library has several books about hunting and the Winchesters keep disappearing on hunts, you kind of put two and two together. Also, Sam told me that last summer." The three Hunters flinched. Hermione rolled her eyes at them.

"What do you have under your arm?" Ginny asked. Hermione pulled the book out.

_"Once Upon a Time_ _,"_ she said. "Apparently, my brother gave it to me."

"But I'm your brother," Harry said. Hermione smiled at him.

"Magically, yes," she said. "But according to this letter, _Henry_ is my brother. My older brother. If we go off of Castiel's theory, then my parents and Henry are in Storybrooke. I think that someone has convinced not only the town, but an Angel, that we need to go there. This could also be a trap set by Bellatrix, but I can't help feeling like she doesn't know. I still want to go to take care of whatever is going on in the town."

"If Hermione wants to go, I'm in," Ginny said, moving to stand next to her friend. Luna stood next to them as well. Matt stood up to stand by her, too.

"The Wives have spoken," Matt said. Everyone rolled their eyes at the name. "We're going. What are you going to do about it?" Dean sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"I guess we're going to Storybrooke," he said. "I should call dad. Have him see if he can join us." He pulled out his phone and called his dad. He stepped out of the room, brushing past Hermione. His hand grazed her arm, sending chills down her spine.

"We should travel by Muggle means," Luna said. "Bellatrix doesn't know about this, so we should keep to methods she doesn't expect. She might be able to follow us because of the Nargles around Sam, but we'll have to see what happens." She turned to Sam. "Are you carrying any mistletoe? Nargles love to hide in it." Sam looked at her in confusion before shaking his head in the negative.

"Wouldn't it be easier to use magical methods?" Matt asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Luna's right. She can put a trace on us or try block us if we use magic. We need to use Muggle methods. Driving will probably be safest for us. And easiest. We'll need several cars, though." Bobby nodded.

"We can use some of the cars out front. They still work. I think the 'Stang might have some juice left in her." Hermione nodded. She turned to Luna.

"Can..." She cleared her throat. "Luna, can you see if Castiel is telling the truth?" Hermione watched as Luna walked over to the windowsill.

"There are clouds covering the moon," she said in her airy voice. Hermione looked down, sighing.

"Thank you, Luna," she said. Bobby looked at her in confusion.

"She didn't say anything," he said. Sam snorted.

"Of course she did," he countered. "It's supposed to be a new moon tonight. That symbolizes purity and starting over. The fact that she can't see any of it means that she can't see what's going to happen. She can't see that part of the future."

"Actually, she's saying that she can't see Storybrooke," Ron said. "It's like that interference on the fellytone."

"Telephone," Ginny and Hermione corrected. Matt walked over to Ron and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"We need to start planning," he said.

"I'm going to read through this book so I can get a grasp on what they believe," Hermione said. "Let's hope it's informational." Harry nodded.

"While you're doing that, Sam can research Tricksters and Boggarts," he said, pointing to Sam. "Hermione has some books on magical creatures. Look through those, too. Ron, Ginny, and I will work on Strategy." Hermione felt a presence behind her.

"Dad's on his way," Dean said. Hermione jumped and whirled around to face him. His right arm was against the doorjamb as he leaned behind her. She was close enough to smell his aftershave. He stared down at her for a second before addressing the group. "I overheard you when waiting for dad to pick up. I can work on the cars while Bobby picks out the weapons." Hermione turned around to look at Harry. She unconsciously leaned into Dean, who put his left hand on her waist. Neither seemed to notice. Luna smiled at them knowingly.

"Right," Harry said. "We all have our assignments. Let's get ready to go to Storybrooke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> So, this update was supposed to come out yesterday but my wifi is acting up.
> 
> This story has changed so much. I'll likely have more tags added on by the end. We'll see.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! I love feedback!
> 
> -MTW


	6. The Man Who Can't Be Moved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back to the corner  
> Where I first saw you  
> I'm gonna camp in my sleeping bag  
> I'm not gonna move
> 
> \- "The Man Who Can't Be Moved," The Script

Dean held Hermione in place as people moved out of the room. Sam looked at them in confusion. Hermione just smiled.

"I'll be up in a moment," she said. Sam nodded and headed upstairs to the library. Once the kitchen cleared, Hermione turned around. Dean stared into her eyes - eyes that he had missed so much. Eyes with so much life to them. His thumb started rubbing her hip in a soothing manner. "Dean?"

"I'm sorry, what?" He realized she'd spoken and he'd missed it. She quirked an eyebrow.

"I asked if you wanted to talk," she said softly. Swallowing, he nodded, stepping back from her. She led the way out the door and into the junkyard. He followed obediently. Once they were well within the labyrinth of the lot, she turned, book tucked under her arm. He stopped a few feet away from her. They stood in front of Bobby's Cadillac. A tense silence settled over them. Dean sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Look, you know I don't do this girlie shit," he said. Hermione watched, her gaze intense. "Hell, I barely do the whole emotions thing. But I have some stuff that I need to say and you can respond however you want. But I just need you to listen, okay?" Hermione nodded. "When I first met you, I was confused. You were the first girl who really affected me. You got on my nerves and were so straightlaced. I thought I hated you. Then you turned sixteen and it hit me that I actually enjoyed spending time with you. I still do. So, yeah, I was mean to you before, but that was because I was confused. I just want to say I'm sorry for ever hurting you. That was never my intention. I care too much about you to hurt you. I always have. But I now see that I have hurt you - a lot - and I can never atone for that. But I'm so sorry. You have to know that. I lo -" he cleared his throat. "I care about you so much." He didn't know when he started crying. Nor did he care. He just needed her to understand that he was sorry. He noticed that she was crying, too.

"Dean," she said, voice cracking. "The way you treated me when we were younger... it _really_ hurt. I hate nicknames so much. Pet names? Fine, they're terms of endearment. But nicknames, to me, mean that a person doesn't care about learning the other person's name. So whenever you would brand me with nicknames, I would want to hide myself whenever you were around. You also wanted to exclude me from everything, so I hid even more. Uncle Bobby was so mad whenever you were around. He could tell you were hurting me but he couldn't do anything." She took a shaky breath as she walked forward. "Then you started being nice to me and I had no idea how to react. And now you're acting as if you _love_ me -" She took a deep breath as she stopped right in front of him. She reached up and brushed some hair out of his face. "Dean, I forgave you for your transgressions a long time ago. I just wanted to be your friend for so long. I just don't know how to act around you anymore."

Dean reached out and took her hand gently, just as he had earlier that day. He placed a kiss to her knuckles and rubbed the pad of his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I have... feelings.. for you, Mi," he said softly. "You don't even know how deep my feelings run. Maybe I _do_ love you. But I know that you don't feel the same way back. So, I'm going to win your heart over. Fair and square. I want to be with you. But I can wait for you to return this feeling. I will wait for you. But I want us to start off as friends. We'll go from there." Hermione watched, mesmerized, as he spoke. He knew he should just straight out tell her that he loved her, but he had an inkling that she already knew.

"I can be friends," she said after a few minutes of silence. Dean smiled at her. Her smile back made his heart stop. She pulled back slightly, taking her hand from his grip. He frowned at her as she inhaled deeply. "Let's start over, shall we?" He grinned at her as she stuck out her hand. "Hermione Granger. Natural-born witch. Friend of Hunters." Dean took her hand and shook it.

"Dean Winchester. Hunter. Friend of a very beautiful Natural-born witch." Hermione blushed and looked down. She lifted the book in her hands and glanced up at him through her eyelashes.

"Apparently, our story is in here," she said softly. Dean nodded as he sat down on the ground, patting the spot next to him. She quickly sat down.

"When we find it, read to me," he said. Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him. He sighed, plucking the book from her hands. He rifled through the book until an image of a young Hermione came up. He backtracked a few pages until he saw the title.

_"The Swan Princess?"_ Hermione looked at the story with a smile.

"This is one of my favorite fairy tales," she said. Dean looked at her as she took the book back. She cleared her throat.

_"Once upon a time, there was a young princess who lived in the Enchanted Forest. She lived with her True Love in a castle not far from her parents' castle. Her son, Henry, lived with his other mother in her castle with his young family. Princess Emma, the Savior, soon fell pregnant with her second child and she had a daughter. Her husband, Captain Hook, named her Hermione Jean, after the daughter of Helen and his own mother figure. The two raised her to believe in Light Magic and finding her True Love. Henry would visit with his daughter, Lucy, and the two girls soon got into mischief at every turn._

_"It wasn't long before a young knight came to the castle. He, his brother, and their friends had defeated a dragon in a nearby kingdom. The rest of the group went home while the older quested onward. His name was Dean Winchester, the First Champion, the First Protector - though he had yet to earn the title. He was fifteen when he first met Princess Hermione. The two hated each other but Emma requested that Dean stay on to guard the kingdom for a few years. He agreed easily, ready for a new challenge. Over the years, Hermione and Dean interacted and their emotions for each other changed. The two fell in love, and on her eighteenth birthday, Dean proposed to Hermione. She accepted._

_"One evening, Hermione sat in the garden, awaiting Dean's return from patrol. As she sat, an evil sorcerer spotted the young princess sitting alone in the garden. Grindelwald became jealous of Hermione's beauty and cursed her to turn into a swan at daybreak; however, at night, she would return to her natural state as long as she was in the enchanted waters surrounding Grindelwald's home. The sorcerer kidnapped Hermione just as Dean returned, seemingly vanishing into thin air. For one whole year, Hermione waited for Dean to find her. He finally did Just as sun was setting exactly one year from her disappearance. Dean approached the lake and watched as a lone swan sang to itself. It was a sad song. As soon as the sunset and the light vanished from the sky, a blinding light came from the swan. Dean watched as the swan transformed into a woman and he was elated to find Hermione. She sang a sad song about loneliness and lost love. Her hair was tangled and dirty, her clothing tattered. She twitched every once in a while. She looked as if she'd been tortured - which she had been. Dean walked around the embankment toward his future bride. Her smile was blinding as she ran toward him._

_"'Dean!' she cried as she neared the water's edge. She stopped abruptly, remembering the last time she'd left the lake. 'Love, I can't leave the lake. I've been cursed.' Dean just smiled, removed his armor, and walked into the lake. The two lovers embraced, smiling and kissing each other. They did not notice the sorcerer approaching them. 'You cannot save her!' Grindelwald shouted. Dean moved to block Hermione. Grindelwald cackled as he sent a spell at Dean. 'No!' Hermione shouted, jumping in front of him. The spell hit her right in the chest, causing her to fall to the ground. Enraged, Dean swiftly killed Grindelwald. He swiftly returned to Hermione's side. She panted with the effort to stay awake. 'Dean,' she said. 'You found me.' 'I did,' he said, tears running down his face. 'I just need you to hold on for a nit, okay? I need to get you home.' But Hermione was fading fast. She raised her hand to cup his cheek. 'I love you,' she croaked out. 'So much.' Her eyes closed and her hand fell down his chest. 'No,' Dean said. He repeated the word several times while rocking her back and forth. He calmed slightly as he held her. Closing his eyes, he said, 'I love you,' and kissed her lips. A white light burst from her and she started breathing again. Dean laughed as he held her close. '_ _Dean,' she breathed. He kissed her again and she responded just as enthusiastically._

_"'The two married six months later in a small ceremony. Soon afterwards, Dean joined up with the other Champions as they set off to defeat Dumbledore. The group was then called The Champions of the Realm - Dean Winchester, the First Protector; Sam Winchester, the Brains; Harry Potter, the Leader; and Ronald Weasley, the Strategist. The four went up against Dumbledore, Grindelwald's jilted lover. Along the way, the three other men fell in love and married. The battles they led were glorious, yet they always failed to get to Dumbledore. He always seemed to be a few steps ahead of the Champions and their battalions. After every battle, Dean returned to Hermione. The two soon learned that Hermione was pregnant, bringing joy to the group._

_"But it was not to be. For Dumbledore had a plan of his own. He cast the Dark Curse again, sending the Enchanted Forest to the Land Without Magic. He created a world for magic users, along with new identities for his enemies. He de-aged the Champions and their spouses and sent them packing. He ensured that Dean and Hermione would never find each other. His curse can be broken, though. Only true love's kiss can break the spell."_

Hermione slammed the book shut. Dean looked at her. He could picture it all - them meeting in the Enchanted Forest, them getting engaged, their wedding. Their children. _Fuck_. Now that he envisioned it, he wanted all of the chick-flick stuff with her.

"What complete _bullshite_ ," Hermione said. Before either of them could say anything, Sam ran around the corner. They stood up at his approach.

"We've got a problem," he said. Dean took a step toward his brother. "We figured out what the spell Bellatrix used on Hermione." The trio quickly ran toward the house. They rushed up to the library where Luna sat with a tome on her lap.

"Loosely translated, it means, 'Slow Torture,'" she said. Hermione sat on the table by Luna and held her hand out for the book. Dean sat in an abandoned chair by the door. "It's Gaelic. From what I can tell, you'll have Wrackspurts flocking to you. There are levels to the torture you'll feel and all of them will be in your mind. It can feel real at times but you need to remember that it's not real." Dean watched Hermione carefully.

"What are the levels?" Sam asked.

"I'll start off tired," Hermione said softly as she yawned. "I can already feel that one. There are seven levels based off of the seven deadly sins: sloth, gluttony, pride, greed, envy, lust, and wrath. sloth and wrath are the only two that are different than the other levels. The mental torture manifests differently depending on the person. The curse fixates on the person's deepest desires, brings them out, and ensures the person overindulges in their desire. Wrath is the final stage and it's vile. The person becomes so angry and depressed that they either are killed by someone else or they kill themselves. Most people are killed before they reach the point of suicide." She inhaled sharply. " _'Wrath takes up to 24 hours to reach completion. Most people do not survive the first few hours of wrath. If they manage to survive longer than that, they are guaranteed to kill themselves.'_ "

Silence filled the room. Dean stood, walked over to Hermione and grabbed her hand.

"I won't let you die," he said in a hushed tone. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"There's a cure," Luna said. Dean turned his head to look at her. "True Love's Kiss." Hermione scoffed.

"According to this book, True Love's Kiss only works when both parties love each other unconditionally."

"Then you and Dean need to fall in love," Sam said. Dean whipped around to look at his brother. "What? If what Castiel said is true, then you two are destined for each other. Besides, Dean's already there!" Hermione flinched, slowly removing her hand from Dean's grip.

"And how the hell do you know about that?" Dean said. Sam shrugged.

"It's kinda obvious," he said. "You've been in love with her for years. I've seen it. The summer she didn't come back, you spent your free time moping in the library. The summer after that, you spent all your time out in the junkyard, fixing cars. You were dealing with losing her. I know you, Dean. I've never seen you act this way over anyone." Dean sighed, stepping away from Hermione.

"I need a drink if we're gonna talk this girlie shit," he muttered. He walked down the stairs and headed toward the kitchen. When he entered, he retrieved a glass and some whiskey, pouring two fingers worth. He heard the kitchen door slam. Dean took a sip from his tumbler as he turned to face the newcomer.

"Hi, Dad."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> Three chapters in a 72 hour period? Who is she?
> 
> Honestly, though, I finished my project and now I can focus on this until I hear back! I hope you're all enjoying this story. Thanks for the kudos and bookmarks! I really appreciate them!
> 
> Please feel free to review! Enjoy!
> 
> -MTW
> 
> P.S. - Smut is coming in like a chapter or two. Just as a heads up.


	7. You've Got the Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time after time I think "Oh Lord what's the use?"  
> Time after time I think it's just no good  
> 'Cause sooner or later in life, the things you love you loose  
> But you got the love I need  
> To see me through
> 
> \- "You've Got the Love," Florence + the Machine

Hermione trudged down the stairs the next morning. She felt exhausted. Truly and utterly knackered. She'd gone to bed soon after Dean had gone downstairs. She just couldn't keep going at that point. But she did have some clarity.

Apparently, she and Dean were meant to be. According to some angel they barely knew. But she did realize one thing. Well, two, really.

First, she actually wanted to get to know Dean. He felt... safe? No. He felt like coming home. And that scared her.

The second thing she realized was what her deepest desire could potentially be. And she was not looking forward to seeing if her hunch was right.

Yawning, Hermione walked into the kitchen, waving her wand to start the coffee. She opened a cabinet to pull out a mug. As soon as she had one in hand, she heard the click of a gun.

"Put the mug down, Witch," a deep voice growled. She sighed, placing the mug on the counter in front of her. She turned to find John Winchester pointing a gun at her.

"Hello, Mr. Winchester," she said. His eyes grew wide.

"Hermione?" He asked, his tone incredulous. "You've traded your soul? Why? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"Actually -" John walked up to Hermione, grabbed her by the hair, and shoved her toward the door.

"I don't care, Witch," he said. Hermione whimpered as his grip tightened. "I won't have you dirtying my best friend's living room. _Move._ " She cried out as he kicked her left leg to move. They were out the door as John shoved her. The kitchen door slammed behind them.

"Mr. Winchester -" She whimpered as he threw her onto the ground.

"Shut the fuck up," he said, kicking her in the side.

"Dad!" Hermione could make out Dean's voice. "Dad, what are you doing?"

"Dean, stay back!" John said, kicking Hermione again. Twice. In the ribs. "I need to deal with this bitch." She cried out in pain. _Why me?_ she thought. _Haven't I suffered enough?_ She heard the click of his gun. She looked up to find the barrell directly in her face. "Wand. Now." Hermione tentatively reached into her right sleeve and took out her wand. John took it and with a loud _snap!,_ he dropped the two halves of her wand on the ground. She cried out loud, pain evidenced in her voice.

"John Winchester, you leave my niece alone," Bobby's voice rang out. Another gun cocked followed by two more. Hermione watched as Dean, Sam, and Bobby each pointed a gun at a bewildered John.

"Bobby, what are you doing?" John hissed. "Boys! Go inside! You don't need to see this!"

"She's a natural-born witch," Sam said. John turned to look at Sam. "I've known since we were thirteen. She's a good witch." John's eyes hardened.

"There's no such thing." He didn't notice Castiel arriving. John turned around to find Castiel standing right in front of him and jumped back. Castiel touched his forehead with his finger tips. John gasped, dropping his gun and falling on his knees.

"She is protected," Castiel growled. John nodded and the Angel released him, turning instead to fix Hermione. She'd coughed up some blood. Dean rushed over to her, holding her head.

"Thanks, Cas," Dean said. Castiel looked at Dean as he laid healing hands on Hermione.

"My name is Castiel," he said in confusion. A white light erupted from his hands and Hermione immediately felt better. He removed his hands and retrieved her broken wand. He handed the pieces to her. "I can't fix this." Hermione wiped her face. Her wand, her precious wand, her link to the wizarding world, was broken. She took the pieces, hands shaking. Dean ran a hand through her tangled hair.

"My wand..." Hermione heard feet rushing toward her. She looked up to find Harry running and Castiel stepping back. He landed on his knees in front of her, tears in his eyes, and immediately wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his shoulder. "Harry..."

"'Mione," he said. The two separated and Dean stood up, walking over to his father. Hermione watched as he punched John in the face.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Dean shouted. John rubbed his cheek.

"She's a witch," John said. "I needed to kill her."

"She's a natural-born! A Level One!" Dean yelled.

"I don't care!" John shouted back. He stood. He was the same height as Dean but nowhere near as intimidating. "All witches are bad! I thought I raised you better than this! I don't care if she's your girlfriend - kill her!" Castiel appeared in front of John.

"She is under my protection," he said. John glared at him.

"Are you a witch, too?" John asked. "You did that weird mind thing. You can do magic. I should kill you, too!"

"I'm an Angel of the Lord," Castiel said. "A Guardian Angel. Dean and Hermione are my wards. I take any threat to them seriously. And you, John Winchester, are a threat." John reached for his gun, but Castiel was faster. "Your guns won't hurt me - only my vessel. Now, either leave, or I'll have to restrain you." John was livid. Dean stood just behind Castiel, his hands clenching and unclenching. Hermione stood slowly and walked over to Dean, Harry following behind her. Dean turned to her and wrapped his arms around her. She didn't know how she knew but she had a feeling that he needed her.

After several long, tense minutes, John sighed and stuck out his wrists.

"Restrain me," he said. Castiel conjured some restraints and placed them on John's wrists. Everyone went back into the house silently. Dean kept his arm around Hermione's shoulders as they trudged up to the house. They entered the kitchen to find Ginny, Luna, Matt, and Ron standing by the window. Ginny stepped forward.

"We need to get you a new wand," she said. Hermione nodded, placing the pieces of her old wand on the table.

"Let's go now," she said. "Besides, I need to go to Gringotts to exchange some money." Ginny nodded but didn't move.

"I want Dean to accompany us," she said. Hermione opened her mouth to protest. "'Mione, there is a rogue demon-Death-Eater out to get you, along with several living Death Eaters. We can defend you from the living, but Dean can take care of the demon. So, either he comes with us or you stay put." Hermione pouted but eventually nodded. Dean dropped his arm from her shoulders and went to the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked. Dean stopped.

"I'm packing for our trip," he said. She quirked an eyebrow.

"We'll only be gone for an hour," she said. His eyes widened.

"Oh, yeah, magic," he said, coming back to her side. Thr group chuckled - except John. Ginny and Harry gestured for Dean and Hermione to follow them, and the group moved into the living room.

"We've set up the Floo network here and it's international," Harry explained. He pulled out a small pouch from his jean pocket and took a pinch of powder. He passed the pouch around to Ginny and Hermione. "Dean, you'll have to go with Hermione. Hold onto her hand... wait, it'll be cramped... you'll figure it out, but since you don't have magical blood, you'll have to hold onto her." Dean nodded in understanding. Hermione took a pinch and put the pouch in her back pocket. They watched as Ginny and Harry Floo'd to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione sighed and stepped toward the fireplace, grabbing Dean's hand. She threw in the powder and turned to Dean.

"Wrap your arms around my waist," she said. He quickly followed her instructions. If she wasn't so emotionally drained, she would've noticed the feeling of his arms around her. "Hold on tight. We'll probably fall." They stepped into the fireplace. "The Leaky Cauldron!" She called out and their world became a fire-filled labyrinth. All too soon, they landed in the Leaky Cauldron. Dean tipped forward, his arms still wrapped around Hermione. She squeaked as they fell and she felt Dean turn so she wouldn't hit the ground. She landed on top of him, hands splayed on his chest. The two stared into each other's eyes as they caught their breath. Dean smirked at her.

"Hey, there," he said. Rolling her eyes, Hermione stood up. She dusted herself off quickly and walked over to Ginny.

"So, Gringotts first," Hermione said. The group quickly enters Diagon Alley, Dean following behind mystified.

"This is so weird," he whispered. Harry snorted.

"This is nothing," he said. "You should see Hogwarts." Dean looks at Hermione.

"Is that the name of the school you went to?" The other three nod in tandem.

"Ginny was technically a year behind us but Ron and I graduated early," Harry explained. "Hermione returned. She was Head Girl. We were so proud of her."

"No one else wanted it," Hermione said. barely loud enough for the group to hear. "After so much bloodshed, who really wanted to lead? I was lucky Theo Nott was a decent person."

"He still got the hots for you?" Ginny asked, smirking. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I believe he's dating Fleur's cousin - one of the full Veela's. He writes to me about his travels. We're still good friends."

"I can't believe you became friends with Death Eaters," Harry grumbled. Hermione whirled around, annoyed that he brought up the topic again..

" _You_ testified on their behalf - several times, I might add! You are the reason they received probation! I was only trying to promote inter-house unity! I never expected to actually befriend Draco and the Slytherins! And if anything, you should be yelling at Ginny, too! She dated Blaise while you were off at Auror training, thinking you were too noble to put her in the spotlight while she was at school!" Ginny punched her friend.

"Harry and I made peace with that," she said. "Oh, Blaise and Daphne invited us over for tea in a couple of weeks. Should I tell them you're joining? You can bring Dean. He's only handled Gryffindors."

"Matt's a Hufflepuff," Hermione said. Ginny waved her off.

"Semantics. He's dating Ron, so he's Gryffindor by association."

"I have no idea what we're talking about anymore," Dean said. "What's a 'Blaise?'" Harry sighed and walked up the steps of Gringotts.

"A right git who finally settled down with a decent woman," Ginny said, smiling. Hermione rolled her eyes. The group walked into Gringotts with Dean cursing under his breath at the goblins. They greeted Griphook, the only goblin that really trusted them. While they came to an impasse about what occurred during the war, things between Griphook and the Golden Trio were still tense. He took the group to Hermione's vault after agreeing to exchange some for American Muggle currency. Hermione took out a pouch-full of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, each. Satisfied, she exited her vault and the team left Gringotts. Hermione and Ginny took turns explaining Wizarding currency.

"So, hold on," he said. "How much is each in American currency?"

"A Galleon is basically a twenty," Hermione said. "A sickle is a ten, and a knut is just shy of a fiver." His eyes widened comically.

"But you had so much in your vault!" Hermione laughed and nodded.

"My parents transferred my college fund into Gringotts when I went to Hogwarts," she explained. "That, on top of my reparations for being a War Heroine, leaves me with a tidy sum."

"How much did you take out? For the exchange?" Hermione thought for a second.

"I think I took out somewhere around ten thousand US dollars," she said. Dean stared at her in awe. "I'm putting it all in a bank in the US, though. I find the Muggle banking system so much easier. I might actually move it all over to Barclay's." Harry smiled at her.

"I've been telling you to do that for months now," he said. "There's a whole Wizarding department where they have Muggleborns and Half-Bloods assisting with Wizarding currency." Dean felt like he had whiplash. Shaking his head, he turned to Hermione.

"Aren't we here about a wand?" Hermione sighed and nodded.

"This way." Hermione led the way into Ollivander's. The elderly wizard was supposed to retire this week. His great nephew was taking over for him, though, rumor had it, Ollivander would never fully retire.

The bell above the door rang as the group entered. Ollivander hobbled around the corner and smiled at Hermione. After the incident at Malfoy Manor, Ollivander had taken a liking to Hermione and Luna. They frequently wrote to him, checking on his well-being.

"Ah, Miss Granger," he said, bowing.

"Garrick, I told you to call me Hermione," she said, smiling at him. She gave him a quick hug. He smiled back at her.

"Miss Granger, I cannot call you by your first name simply because you mean too much to me," he said. He turned and took in the rest of the group.

"Ah," he said as his eyes rested upon Dean. He smiled. "You've been reunited." Hermione looked at him in confusion.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"It means that I have my memories," he said. She opened her mouth to ask him what _that_ meant, but he cut her off. "How about we get you a new wand first? That is why you are in here, correct?" Hermione nodded. "Well, then. Let's find you a good one!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> Wow! Another Update!
> 
> So, fun fact: I have ADHD. Which means that I have an INCREDIBLY HARD TIME finishing projects. Starting them? No problem! Developing them? Easy peasey! But actually finishing? THE. WORST. It's like pulling teeth without Novocaine (which, from experience, is really painful).
> 
> Anyways, thank you for the kudos, everyone! And the bookmarks! I love getting new readers! Feel free to drop a comment if you see something inconsistent or just wanna say hi! I'll (most likely respond)!
> 
> -MTW
> 
> P.S. - please don't ask about the Novocaine thing. I was being a dumb kid.


	8. Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've never felt like this before  
> I apologize if I'm movin' too far  
> Can't we just talk?  
> Can't we just talk?  
> Figure out where we're growin'
> 
> \- "Talk," Khalid

Dean watched the old geezer walk back into the shelves of the dark shop. Ollivander was a weird guy and had Dean feeling unsettled. Harry patted him on the shoulder.

"He'll do that at first," he said. Dean nodded. "It just gets weirder from here. All you need to know is that the wand chooses the wizard."

Like _that_ wasn't fucking confusing.

Ollivander came back with several boxes in hand.

"Try this one, my dear," he said, handing Hermione a wand. "9 inches, Hawthorn, Dragon Heartstring of a Welsh Greenback." Hermione took the wand but it was grabbed out of her hand before she could even move it. "No! No.. Maybe this one?" And on it went. Dean felt like he was a little fish in a big pond filled with weird looking fish. After forty-five minutes and eighty-two wands, Ollivander finally smiled. "Yes," he said. The tip of her wand glowed. Hermione smiled. "10 1/2 inches, Phoenix feather, Elder." The three magical folks whipped their heads toward Ollivander.

"Elder?" Hermione asked. Ollivander nodded.

"Yes," Ollivander said. "Made from your favorite tree growing up." The look of confusion on Hermione's face was disconcerting. Dean cleared his throat.

"Um, what's the significance of Elder?" He asked. Ollivander turned to him.

"There was an evil man who got his hands on a powerful wand made of Elder," he said. "This wand is nowhere near that level of power. It's flexible, yet firm. Still, guard it with your life. I've sold one other wand of Elder and that person began bragging that he had _the_ Elder Wand." Shaking his head, he sighed. "You can imagine how well that went over."

"Was that person Malfoy?" Harry asked. Hermione and Ginny smacked him on the back of the head. " _Ouch!_ What? It's a valid question!"

"Draco has changed," Ginny said. "Next time he invites me over for dinner, I'll bring you along." Harry shuddered at the thought. Hermione turned back to Ollivander.

"How much?" She asked, pulling out her pouches. The old wizard waved her off.

"Nothing," he said. "How can I possibly charge family?" Hermione sighed, dropping her hand. He turned to Dean. "She's practically my daughter, Mr. Winchester. Please protect her." Dean took a step back, reaching for his gun before he remembered it was in Bobby's junkyard. God, had she really been attacked an hour ago? He ran a hand over his face. "Ah, I see you've had a rough day. How about a cuppa?" Ollivander turned back to the shelves, gesturing for them all to follow. Hermione let Ginny and Harry go ahead of her. She turned to Dean and stepped closer to him.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly. Dean shrugged.

"Three days ago, I was in Wichita doing a salt and burn," he said softly. A piece of hair fell into her face and he brushed it away. "In that time frame, you came back into my life, I learned you were a natural-born witch, you had a demon attack you, then the same demon _cursed_ you, we find out we're supposedly from another dimension, that we're supposed to be married, that angels are real, and my dad nearly kills you. Oh, and now I'm in the middle of London with the woman I love, who I confessed my feelings to just last night." He took a deep breath. "For all intents and purposes, I should be asking you if you're okay." Hermione sighed and grabbed his hand. "And this! You're freely touching me! Like you do it all the time!" She looked taken aback.

"Do you want me to stop?" She asked, letting go of his hand.

"No! No, no, no, no!" He picked her hand back up and started rubbing circles on the back of it. He chuckled softly as he leaned against the counter. "Can you tell I'm freaking out?" Hermione gave a small smile.

"If it makes you feel better," she said. "I'm actually not doing too well." Dean stood up, dropped her hand, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Oh, stop that! I'm physically fine. I just feel emotionally exhausted and I feel like I'm going to fall over at any moment." She paused, took a deep breath, released it, then placed her small hands on his hips. "I keep touching you because you seem to take comfort from it. One of the things I learned after the war is that even though I have severe anxiety now, it goes away whenever I help someone overcome theirs. It's not a permanent solution by any means but it helps. So, me touching you is technically mutually beneficial." She smiled weakly up at you. "It's also helping me with your feelings. This way, I can see part of the 'What if?' in the equation."

"You're using me?" He asked. He wasn't mad - just confused. Hermione shook her head.

"No," she said. "I'm a very logical person - you knew that, though. So is it really any surprise that I need to experiment first?" Dean chuckled again. "Besides, the experiment's going well so far." A cocky smirk worked its way onto Dean's face.

"Oh, really?" He asked. She smacked his arm, stepping away.

"Come along," she said, holing out her hand. "We've kept them waiting long enough." She led the way to the back steps of the shop, where a staircase wound up to Ollivander's apartment. Ginny smirked at them when they entered, wiggling her eyebrows. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat next to Ollivander at a large, round table. Dean sat between her and Harry, who was next to Ginny. Harry rolled his eyes at Ginny, too. Five tea cups sat out in front of them. Tea served itself. Dean watched for a few seconds as the teapot weaved around the table. His concentration broke as Ollivander cleared his throat.

"Now, I know you have questions," he said, patting Hermione's hand gently. "But let me explain my side of the story first, alright?" When everyone gave their affirmation, he started. "I made wands in the Enchanted Forest. I helped the Fairies in training. When Dumbledore lost his love, Grindelwald, he came to me, seeking advice. I had no idea how to help him, so he went elsewhere. I survived two Dark Curses in the Enchanted Forest before Dumbledore approached me and threatened me with the curse. He demanded that I bring his love back but I'm just a wand maker - what could I do? Anyway, he did not like my answer, so when he cast the curse, he made it so that I would remember everything. I've been here for nearly a decade now, waiting to discuss this with _someone_ from the Enchanted Forest who knew who could actually come and visit."

"What do you mean, come and visit?" Hermione asked.

"It means that the citizens of Storybrooke - who all have their memories, by the way - cannot leave their town. They are stuck."

"What happens if we go?" Ollivander looked at Ginny and thought about her question before answering.

"You all might be able to leave," he answered. "But I'm not sure if it would be temporarily. I mean, I think that if you left with the intention of coming back, you could. But Storybrooke's magic is completely different from the magic you're used to. You don't need a wand unless you're a fairy, so magic will come easier for you all. Well, maybe not Sir Dean, but that's neither here nor there."

"What can you tell us about this fairy tale curse?" Harry asked. Hermione groaned, placing her head in her hands. Dean watched on, curious.

"Well, Sir Potter, _that_ is an interesting tale," the old wizard said. "In the sixties, Regina - the Evil Queen back then - cast a powerful spell that sent almost everyone in the Enchanted Forest to the Land Without Magic. Though, to be fair, there was magic here - just not what the Enchanted Forest was used to. Here, people are born with magic or they make deals with a demon. Back home, only certain people could access magic, but there are two types - Light Magic and Dark Magic. Hermione, Ginny, Ronald, Luna, Harry, and Matt all have Light Magic. I do, as well. This only happens when one is born of True Love. Fairies have Light Magic, but one must be born a fairy in order to use a wand. But I digress.

"Albus was a friend of mine for many years. He lived in the same village as me. He was always different - reading books and watching people. The only person he would tolerate was me. Then he met Grindelwald and disappeared. I did not see him for almost thirty years. By that time, two curses had blown through and he had studied under the Dark One for years. Grindelwald sought to gain as much power as possible and decided that magic was the best way to go about it. He convinced Dumbledore that they were True Loves. At the time, True Love was so rare. It is much more prevalent now. But Albus had no idea what True Love looked like. So, when someone killed Grindelwald, he lost his mind. He killed the wife of the man who killed his love." Ollivander inhaled deeply and turned to Dean. "Her name was Mary Winchester." Dean sucked in a breath, eyebrows scrunched together.

"No," Dean said. "Mary Winchester died because a demon killed her." Ollivander smiled softly.

"Tell me, Sir Dean. What do you remember of that night? Or any night before you were ten?" Dean quirked an eyebrow and thought about his childhood. And paused.

"It's all kind of fuzzy," he said. Hermione stood up abruptly.

"I... I can't do this," she said, turning to the door. Dean stood to follow her but she held her hand out, not looking at him. "This is insane! We are not from another world or realm or _wherever!_ How can any of you believe this?" She stormed out before anyone could respond. Dean stood rooted to the spot.

"Sir Dean," Ollivander said. Dean turned to the old geezer. "Your wife may not believe but I have a feeling that you're starting to." Dean shook his head.

"No," he said. "I'm with Hermione on this. This _is_ crazy. But I do know there is something wrong with Storybrooke, so I'm going there to help them solve their problem." Ollivander sighed.

"Then go after Miss Granger," he said in defeat. "But you will believe one day. And you will have to help her believe. She has always been this stubborn and logical." Dean nodded, headed for the door, then paused.

"Thanks for... ya know," he said. Ollivander nodded and gestured for him to follow Hermione. Dean ran down the stairs and out onto the street. He couldn't find her anywhere. He took a step towards the Leaky Cauldron when he felt someone grab his arm and yank him into an alley. He whirled on his kidnapper to find Hermione with a finger on her mouth, silently shushing him. He let out a breath, relaxing.

"Kiss me," she said. Dean took a step back.

"What?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Someone followed us," she hissed. "We need to hide. Kissing makes people feel uncomfortable, so kiss me." He didn't need to be asked twice. He grabbed the back of her head, backed her up against the wall of the adjacent building, and kissed her. It was a kiss that took one's breath away. And boy, was his breath taken.

Who knew that Hermione Granger could kiss?

She ran her hands up his chest, moulding perfectly to him. His free hand went to her waist, gripping it with bruising strength. Hermione moaned softly into his mouth as the two battled for dominance. Dean won, causing her to hum against him. Kissing her was like heaven. He knew he was ruined now. No one else could compare.

They broke apart after a few minutes. Dean stared into Hermione's eyes, panting. Her eyes were dilated and she panted in time with him. She smiled shyly up at him before turning her head.

"I think they're gone," she whispered. Dean held back a groan. She looked amazing - lips swollen, hair mussed, eyes half-lidded. She moved out from his grip and peaked her head around the corner. "They're gone." She turned back to him, smiling. His breath left him. She looked so beautiful. She gestured for him to follow her. The two walked out of the alley. A couple people stared at them with knowing looks but no one looked out of place. "I saw Rodolphus heading into Knockturn Alley," she explained, pointing at a dark alleyway just up the road. "I'm pretty sure he saw me. He turned around just as you walked out of the store. I think he just thought we were a couple." Dean nodded, though he couldn't help wishing that were the case. He grabbed Hermione's hand as they walked to the Leaky Cauldron. They quickly went to the Floo and went back to Bobby's.

* * *

_Dean was nervous. He had no idea why, but he just knew there was something wrong. He was in a dark corridor of a castle. The air was drafty - the dungeons, maybe? He rounded a corner, sword drawn, and found Hermione's startled face. She wore a cream frock, stomping her foot. He smiled down at her, sheathing his sword._

_"You weren't supposed to find me," she said. Dean laughed at her, crossing his arms._

_"You aren't supposed to be down here," he countered. "Your grandparents'll be upset." She rolled her eyes._

_"Yes, Snow White and Prince Charming will be quite upset," she drawled. "Quel dommage!" Dean offered her his hand, which she took._

_"You should be more careful, Your Highness," he said. "You know what lives down here."_

_"Rumplestiltskin is family," she said calmly. "Just because he chose this isolation does not mean he should be alone." Dean shook his head at her. The two were always like this - quick-witted, fast quips and a hint of subtle flirting. And she always wins the argument. But Dean wouldn't have it any other way. he loved her so much._

_It's why he asked her to marry him._

_"Mi, you should be in bed," he said softly as the two ascended the stairs. "You have a big day tomorrow." She turned to him, smiling._

_"It's your day, too," she said. They reached the top of the stairs, Hermione dragging Dean behind her. The two laughed as they searched for an abandoned guest room. Once they found one, Dean locked the door. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and lavished her neck with kisses. She gasped softly as he moved his right hand to cup her left breast. He chuckled into the hollow of her throat._

_"It's bad luck to see the bride on the day of the wedding," he murmured, squeezing her breast. She moaned softly._

_"Good thing it's not yet midnight," she said in response. She moved her hand into his short hair, grasping it tightly. Dean moved his hands to her laces, quickly undoing her dress. Hermione soon stood in just her shift. She let go of his hair, turned in his arms, and started on the ties at his belt. Soon, both stood naked, the only light in the room the moon. Dean ran his hands slowly up and down her sides, bringing her closer to him. He gently ran his calloused fingers over her nipples, plucking them as he played with her. Her soft moans made his shoot south. He pressed his mouth over hers, muffling her moans. She wrapped a leg around his hip, lightly pressing her clit against his erection. He growled as she playfully ground against him. He walked her backwards until she sat on the edge of the bed. He pressed her chest gently to have her lay down. She eagerly obliged and he started kissing his way down her chest, past her stomach, ending just above her core. Dean placed her legs on his shoulders, kneeling before her exposed center. He used the flat of his tongue to taste her, moaning along with her. He loved the taste of her. He was addicted to it._

_He devoured her like a starved man at a feast._

_She writhed before him, moaning as she came closer to orgasm._

_"Dean!" She cried out as he inserted two fingers into her dripping entrance. She was so close. They'd done this enough for him to know she was. He could feel her pulsing around him. He nibbled on her clit before sucking on it hard. She cried out in orgasm, shouting his name to the high heavens. Knowing that he was the only one to make her do that gave him some weird sort of male satisfaction. No, he was not her first - Ron's older brother, Fred, was her first - but he was the only one who could truly make her come. Repeatedly. He watched as she panted, lining himself up at her entrance. He snapped his hips forward, entering her in one swift motion._

Dean gasped, waking up from his dream. Except... it felt _real_. _So real_. He panted, steadying his heart. He groaned when he realized that he had a hard on. Before he could do anything, though, he heard a soft knock on his door. He stood, clad only in his boxers, and wrenched the door open. Hermione stood there, eyes bugging out, panting and sweating. She wore one of his old, ratty Zeppelin shirts.

"Dean," she whined. He pulled her quickly into his room. He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. She didn't have a temperature. He looked into her eyes, blown wide with... something. He couldn't tell. "I-I know what my curse is," she whimpered, shifting her thighs. He knew that sign.

_Shit_.

"Where's everyone else?" Dean asked. Hermione pressed herself into him.

"Harry and Ron went to Hogwarts to get Dumbledore's portrait," she explained. "Ginny went back to the Burrow to get her things. Luna's with Sam in the library. Bobby went to the grocery store." She picked up his hands and placed them on her breasts, sighing slightly in relief. Dean tried to remove his hands but she kept them their. "Dean," she moaned softly. "Dean, I think you're my curse."

Dean took a step back, removing his hands from her.

"Mi, no," he said. She whimpered, running shaky hands through her hair. "This can't happen."

"Dean," she said, crying. "I'm so scared. All I can think about is you touching me, kissing me, fu-"

"Mi, we can't," he said. "This curse is just telling you you need sex. It knows I have a soft spot for you." She shook her head vehemently.

"If that were the case, it would've been Harry or Ronald," she said. Hermione shook. He led her to the bed, wrapping her in his blanket. She sighed, relaxing.

"I must've imprinted on you or something," he said. He just could not believe that _he_ could be her curse. How? She'd hated him just two days ago.

"Maybe," she said. "But your scent is helping. I don't feel so manic anymore." She was right, of course. She looked better now that his blanket was wrapped around her. But she was pale. Dean had a sudden idea.

"Hold on," he said. He removed the blanket from her shoulders, causing her to moan as if in pain. He gently nudged her to lie down, which she quickly did. It was eerily similar to his dream... memory? Shaking his head, he crawled into the small bed behind her, draped the blanket over them, and wrapped his arm around her. She immediately calmed down. "You can't move my hands, okay? I'm trying to win you over." Hermione let out a sardonic chuckle.

"Tell that to my body," she said. "I think we're both correct, though. I think you imprinted on me, so you became my curse. I think the fact that I enjoyed your company these past few days, coupled with the fact that I'm... _deprived_... made you my curse. Of course, I could test that theory, but I think since my body was only reacting to you is a pretty secure answer." Dean sighed, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I will try to keep you from feeling like this, okay?" He said. "If you feel the curse acting up, come find me. I will help you. But we _can't_ , Mi. I don't want to hurt you." Hermione rolled over so that they faced each other.

"You know, despite everything we've been through, I trust you." Dean quirked an eyebrow. "I know, I know. But I think a part of me has always trusted you." Dean smiled softly at her, brushing her hair from her face. "This curse is just going to get worse as time goes on. I think, eventually, we'll have to have sex." He closed his eyes at her words.

"I think you're right," he said softly, opening his eyes. He stared into her chocolate eyes. "But I want you to be in love with me. And one hundred percent sure that I'm the one you want. Either that, or the curse is at its worst. Can you do that?"

"I can't guarantee anything, Dean," Hermione said softly. "But I'll try." He smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose.

"That's all I ask," he said softly. She offered a shy smile.

"Can I sleep in your bed for awhile?" She asked. He froze. "At least until we can figure out how to break the curse." Sighing again, Dean nodded.

"Only because it helps fight the curse," he said. Nodding, Hermione brought herself closer to Dean, splaying her hands over his chest. She tucked herself under his chin.

"Goodnight, Dean," she said. He tangled his fingers into the hair on the back of her head, holding her tight.

"Night, Mi," he whispered. She was out within seconds. He kissed her forehead before pulling her closer, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> I had planned on the previous chapter being longer, but then decided to write half of it from Dean's perspective (which is oddly easier for me to write - I'm much more of a Hermione).
> 
> Anywho, Thank you for the new bookmarks and kudos! They mean so much to me! Feel free to drop a comment, too!
> 
> -MTW
> 
> P.S. - I have a hard time writing smut, so let me know how I did.


	9. Brave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can be amazing  
> You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug  
> You can be the outcast  
> Or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love  
> Or you can start speaking up
> 
> \- "Brave," Sara Bareilles

Hermione woke the next morning feeling refreshed and tangled in Dean. It took her a few seconds to remember the previous evening - the fire, running to Dean, his compromise. She smiled at his words from last night. He didn't want to hurt her. That alone made her knees weak.

If she were being honest with herself, she would admit that she had feelings for Dean. Ever since that last summer, she'd had a weird sort of crush on him. She knew she was attracted to him physically - who wouldn't be? He had the body of a model. Hunting did that to a person.

The fact was, Hermione wasn't honest with herself, though. But she decided that she needed to be - especially because the curse played on her deepest, darkest desires.

Which just happened to be Dean.

_Bugger._

Hermione quietly extracted herself from Dean as quietly as possible and exited his room to use the bathroom. She ran into Sam and Luna as they exited the library.

"Where have you been?" Sam asked. "We've been looking all over for you!" Hermione blushed.

"The curse started getting worse," she said softly. "I'm at Stage Two." Luna's glassy eyes watched Hermione carefully.

"You finally realized you like Dean," she said. Sam's eyes grew larger and stared just over Hermione's head, causing her to turn, too. Dean stood there with plaid pajama bottoms hanging as low as possible from his hips, no shirt, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Her body felt like fire but she refused to go to him.

"I woke up when you shut the door," he said, leaning against the doorframe to a spare room. Hermione swallowed. He smirked at her.

"Hermione's curse got worse," Luna said. "I think she's being affected right now. The Wrackspurts have probably started converging. She has that look in her eye." This made Dean rush over to her, holding her closer.

"Are you alright?" He asked, patting her gently. Hermione shrugged him off, which was a bad idea. The fire returned but she refused to have the curse affect her as bad. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her center.

"I'm fine," she said. Dean didn't look convinced. "Really, I am. How much did you hear?" Dean shook his head.

"It doesn't matter," he said, trying to touch her again. She sidestepped him. "Mi, I heard what Luna said. That's it. But it doesn't matter if you're suffering." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'm honestly fine," she lied. The fire was getting worse. "I don't want this curse to define me or dictate me. Besides, Sam was frantic when I ran into him. I think he has something important." Sam cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, but were you with my brother the whole night?" He asked. Hermione turned to him, nodding.

"Nothing happened, Sammy," Dean said. Sam glared at his brother.

"Sam, he's telling the truth," Hermione said. Luna nodded, which made Hermione feel uncomfortable. Could Luna see _everything?_ Sam relaxed and looked down at Hermione.

"We figured out how long your curse will last," he said.

"You mean how long I have to live," Hermione said. The brothers flinched as Luna nodded.

"You have a month," she said. Hermione took a step back - straight into Dean, but she paid him no mind. "I used Arithmancy to figure it out. I also used it to see what going to Storybrooke would do. Hermione, we have to go. Something major is going to happen." Hermione felt herself nod.

"Let's get packing." Hermione heard her voice, but was that really herself talking? It sounded so far away.

One month. How did she have one month left to live? She looked around to see that only Dean stood with her. He moved in front of her, wiping something off her cheeks. She raised her hand, feeling that they were wet. Why were they wet? Someone was gasping. Can't they shut up? Can't they see that Hermione was in turmoil? Who were they to gasp? Then it hit her.

Hermione was gasping - well, sobbing, really. Dean wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. She placed her hands on his chest.

"I swear, Mi," he said. "I won't let you die." Hermione could only nod. Dean was really her only hope of finding a cure. Maybe something in Storybrooke would help.

* * *

Hermione watched from the porch as Dean placed his suitcases into his trunk. She was lucky that her friends went over to her place to see if the LeStranges had damaged it. She was even luckier when they stuffed everything she had into her little purple pouch and left. She found herself missing her small house in Brighton. She wished she could stand out on the shore just once more. Dean slammed the trunk shut, shaking her out of her mind. He smiled sadly at her and walked to the bottom of the steps. Bobby, John, and Harry were speaking by Bobby's truck and the deep blue '62 Mustang that sat right next to it. Everyone else was in the house, packing food.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. She smiled down at him. He'd given her a bunch of his old shirts that still smelled like him - "Just in case," he'd said. They helped significantly. She watched him come to stand two step below her, making him the same height as her.

"I'm fine," she said. The fire was subdued. She watched as several emotions flickered over his face. She ruffled his hair. "I promise, I'm fine." He nodded and opened his mouth. "You'll be the first to know if there's an issue," she murmured. He smiled at her, causing her own small smile to form. They'd been hesitant around each other since Luna had revealed Hermione's growing feelings. She sighed, placing her arms around Dean's neck, drawing him into a hug. He was taken by surprised but returned the hug. "Let's not get awkward with each other, alright?" She felt him nod against her shoulder. "Besides, we both know that this curse will probably ruin us forever." Dean tensed but continued to hold onto Hermione. The two pulled back slightly, looking into the other's eyes. Hermione made a decision and kissed Dean gently on the lips. He stared at her in awe and confusion while she pulled back.

"What was that for?" He asked. Hermione shrugged.

"I'm dying, Dean," she said softly. Dean stiffened and started to pull away. "No, let me finish. I am dying, whether we like it or not. I'd rather die knowing that I was loved than alone. No, that doesn't make what I'm doing right, but I'm only human." They heard a scoff and turned to see John standing behind them with Bobby and Harry still standing by the truck.

"I won't let you use my son, you slut," he spat. Dean turned to fully face his father.

"She's not," he said. "If she were using me, she wouldn't tell me. Besides, I trust her and she trusts me." Hermione wrapped her arms around Deans neck and paused.

Why did this position feel so familiar? She saw a flash of trees and Dean in armor but they fled faster than she could comprehend. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she looked at John.

"Mr. Winchester, I was just about to ask Dean if he wanted to be in a relationship-"

"Which is a huge fuck yeah," Dean interrupted. Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling.

"But thank you _so_ _kindly_ for ruining the moment," she continued. John just glared at him.

"You're not human," he spat. "You're a monster. You might have everyone else convinced, but not me." Hermione had her wand drawn before anyone could stopher. She fired a silencing spell at him. John went to speak but realized that he couldn't.

"Much better," she said, pocketing her wand. She stepped around Dean, walking directly to John. "Now, Mr. Winchester, you may not like me, and I may not like you, but let's get one thing straight." She reared her hand back, punching him square on the nose. She heard Dean wince behind her, making her remember when she punched him. She looked down at John, crouched on the ground in front of her, blood gushing from his nose. She grabbed his hair and forced him to stare up at her. "I do care about your sons, I am human, and I have a fucking demon witch on my trail. I've been tortured, humiliated, called names, and fought in a war. So do not think for one second that you can underestimate me. You have no right to treat me like I'm garbage. You treat Harry better than you do me. Is it because I'm just a little girl? Is it because I'm a witch and he's a wizard?" John glared up at her. "Don't you dare spit blood on me, John Winchester. Because you do not want to mess with me. Got it?" She let go of his hair and he collapsed on the ground again. He spat blood on her boots. Scoffing, she cleaned her shoes, fixed his nose, and transfigured him into a mouse. She then transfigured a torn tire into a cage, picked up John, and locked him in the cage. "That should suit him. Maybe a few hours in here?" She walked over to Bobby's truck and placed the cage in the backseat, slamming the door. When she turned around, she saw everyone staring at her, stunned. "What?"

"I forgot how bloody scary you are, 'Mione," Ginny said, cracking a smile. Harry outright laughed.

"I swear, you lost all your Gryffindor traits after third year," he said. Hermione shrugged and walked over to Dean. He stared at her in awe.

"I love you," he said. She smiled up at him.

"I know," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered, "I heard you last night when you thought I was asleep." Dean chuckled softly.

"Of course you quote Star Wars at me," he said, smiling widely. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. She didn't know why but everything she did with Dean felt natural. She wouldn't question it. For now. He wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her to him. They stepped down off the steps and the entire group formed a circle. Harry cleared his throat.

"Right, so, Sam, Luna, Ginny and I will go in the Mustang," he said, pointing to the vehicle. "Dean and Hermione will be in the-" He was cut off by Castiel's return. The Angel stood in the center of the group.

"You need to leave," he said. "Now. Bellatrix is on her way here. She just burned down Hermione's house in Brighton." Hermione gasped, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. Dean's grip on her waist grew tighter.

"Right," Harry said. "Cars, now. Cas, go with Dean and Hermione. We can fend for ourselves." Everyone departed quickly. Hermione's mind was numb, again. Her house was gone. She was lucky she had all of her possessions. One moment, she was standing with the group; the next, she was in the car next to Dean, Bobby's house a speck in the distance. Dean's arm rested on her shoulders, bringing her into his side. Castiel sat prostrate in the backseat.

"Why do people insist on calling me 'Cas' when my name is Castiel?" The Angel asked. Dean chuckled.

"It's easier to say," he explained. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What did I say about nicknames?" She inquired. Dean rolled his eyes.

"I know his name is Castiel," Dean said. "It's just much easier to call him Cas. It's short and to the point. Besides, your friends call you 'Mione." Hermione scoffed.

"They call me that even though I've asked them repeatedly to not call me that," she said. "Ron's the worst about it. He started it and everyone picked it up. And you're one to talk. 'Mi?'" Dean glanced at her as he turned onto the highway.

"That's a pet name," he said softly. Hermione blushed, smiling softly.

"Are you two together?" Castiel asked. Hermione turned to look at him.

"Kind of? I never actually asked," Hermione said. Castiel smiled.

"Good," he said. "Dean is your True Love." Hermione looked at the man in question as he blushed and grumbled something under his breath. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. He smiled at her before he kissed the top of her head.

"To answer _your_ question," he whispered. "Yes, we are together. I know the circumstances aren't great, but I want to be with you for as long as you'll have me." Hermione smiled before she yawned. She jumped when she heard wings behind her. She turned to see that Castiel had left the vehicle.

"I guess the threat is gone," she whispered. When she turned back around, she froze. She could feel the fire start to build. She whimpered.

"Is it the curse?" Dean asked. She nodded, leaning into him. He turned on the radio. "Is leaning into me helping?" She nodded again. "Just listen to the music. If it gets worse, let me know."

"Thank you," she said. He kissed the top of her head again. For thirty minutes, they sat in silence. "Human" by Rag'N'Bone Man started playing, causing Hermione to sit up and blast the music.

_"I'm only human, I do what I can. I'm just a man, I do what I can. Don't put the blame on me. Don't put your blame on me,"_ she sang. She heard Dean laughing next to her. She looked at him as he lowered the windows in the car.

"Sing it out, babe!" He shouted, causing her to laugh. She continued singing the next few songs, forgetting about the curse. For now, it was just her and Dean on a road trip. About an hour after singing, they stopped at a gas station to fill up. The rest of the group caught up to them after a few minutes. Matt shoved a human John Winchester out of the truck.

"Glad to see you back to normal, Mr. Winchester," Hermione said. He glared at her but did nothing. Bobby looked at the group.

"Let's fill up and head out," he said. Hermione turned to Dean and handed him a wad of cash. He looked up at her, stunned.

"I know you and your father run credit card scams," she said. "So, from now on, we'll use cash. Less of a mess." Dean nodded, kissing her forehead.

The group moved about the small gas station as quickly as possible and soon they were back on the road. Hermione fell asleep at one point, waking up hours later. The sun had just set and the music was on low. Dean smirked at her as she stretched.

"Good morning, Princess," he said. She smacked him lightly on the arm. He laughed at her. "Hey, you're the one that moans my name her sleep." She gasped again and smacked his arm harder.

"I do not!" She exclaimed. Dean smirked, pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and passed it to her.

"Watch, Princess," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Dean was right, of course. She watched a fifteen second minute video of her moaning - _actually moaning_ , like she was having sex - in her sleep. She shoved the phone back into Dean's hands, crossing her arms over chest as she scooted as far down the seat as she could. Dean reached over, grabbed the inside of her thigh, and hauled her over until she practically sat in his lap. She squealed in shock and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Dean Michael Winchester!" She cried out. "What was that for?"

"Well, I can't have my girl being mad at me, now can I?" He winked at her before turning back to the road. She rolled her eyes and cranked the stereo. Sam Hunt's crooning filled the air. Hermione leaned into Dean's side as he sang along.

_"Body like a back road, drivin' with my eyes closed,"_ Dean sang. His voice was actually decent. And made her feel... things. She took the hand at her waist and brought it lower until it rested in between her thighs. Dean stopped singing briefly.

"It's not the curse," she said. "And yes, I'm sure. No sex yet, though. I remember your stipulation." His hand moved under her the band of her shorts and slipped inside her panties. She liked to wear nicer underthings now. Her favorite things to wear were of the lace variety. She moaned as he gently pushed on her clit and slipped his middle finger into her. His thumb ran circles over her clit as he finger fucked her. He added a second finger after about a minute, causing her to moan louder. Her orgasm hit her harder than she expected and she screamed his name. He helped her ride out her high before removing his fingers. He went to place his fingers in his mouth but she caught his wrist, bringing his index finger into her mouth. She tasted herself on him and the mixture was incredible. She moaned as she licked his finger in a provocative manner, promising more for later. He bit his lip as he released a strangled groan. She released his hand, which he promptly put in his mouth. He did moan when he tasted her. She kissed his mouth then sat back down.

"I can't wait to get to our motel," Dean growled out, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Hermione laughed lightly as Metallica blasted out into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> Yay! More kudos and bookmarks! Writing this story is actually helping me with my anxiety right now (I'm waiting hear back about my project and its progress). Feel free to leave a comment!
> 
> Also, not every chapter will contain smut. Because this story does need some plot. But there will be plenty of smut. 
> 
> -MTW

**Author's Note:**

> Dearest Reader,
> 
> I promise I will work on my other projects. I just don’t have my notebook with all my notes.
> 
> Please enjoy this story, though!
> 
> \- MTW


End file.
